Embassy staff ‘failed to notice’ academic may have been tortured

The UK government has been accused by the parliamentary ombudsman of failing to notice that an academic detained in the United Arab Emirates might have been tortured.

Matthew Hedges, a British researcher, was sentenced to life in prison in 2018, after being found guilty of “spying for or on behalf of” the UK government.

Mr Hedges, then a PhD student specialising in Middle Eastern politics at Durham University, was eventually pardoned following international media coverage of his situation.

During his six-month detention in Abu Dhabi, Mr Hedges said he was interrogated for eight to 15 hours a day, kept in solitary confinement, and was forcibly given medication. He suffered panic attacks and was placed under intense psychological pressure.

He said that when a representative from the British Embassy was allowed to visit him, he was supervised by guards who told him what to say.

He complained to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) failed to notice he was being mistreated.

The ombudsman’s investigation found that the UK government failed to follow its own guidance on detecting potential torture and mistreatment of British nationals.

When they visited him, embassy staff noted Mr Hedges’ voice was shaking, he avoided eye contact and mentioned having anxiety attacks – all signs that he might have been subjected to torture or mistreatment.

FCDO guidelines state that staff should act on these warning signs even when they do not have consent.

Given that Mr Hedges was supervised at all times by those he alleges were mistreating him, the PHSO said it must have been clear to FCDO staff that he was not in a position to give or withhold consent.

“It is hard to imagine the experience that Mr Hedges has endured and quite how terrifying his detention must have been,” said Rebecca Hilsenrath, chief executive of the PHSO.

“The nightmare was made even worse by being failed by the British government. He trusted them to help him and they let him down.

“At the end of the day, the role of the government is to protect its citizens, and this was a profound failure. The impact will run deep for Mr Hedges and he will have to live with that for the rest of his life.”

Ms Hilsenrath said the British government must ensure that this does not happen to anyone else.

The watchdog found the Foreign Office failed to protect him and should pay £1,500 in compensation.

Mr Hedges told the BBC that the ombudsman’s ruling was an “acknowledgement” of what happened.

“It’s a personal victory for me to know that it wasn’t just my experience but others recognised it,” he said.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com